Valentina

Maybe one of the best Italian places I've visited in south London! I was really excited when I found out that it has a branch in Putney. The design is modern and I like it, although I was thinking about something more Italian. What I like about this branch is that its divided into areas, also it has free wi-fi. I like how both the 1st and the 2nd floors are decorated with photos etc. The food is as good as always. Its fresh, well served especially the pasta and rosittos. What I also like is that there's a wide range of wines to chose from, so I can pick the best one to go with my food. The service is friendly and the prices are affordable. Having all these things summed up, it makes it a perfect place for an official dinner or a family evening.

I'm usually very articulate, but I love this place so much - it's hard to locate adequate vocabulary. Whether you purchase something from the deli, grab a take-away coffee, frequent the cafe, or the restaurant - it's a super experience. The drinks and food are fantastic - but more than that, the ambience, staff, and service are what really set this place apart (the decor is pretty cool too). It's like being welcomed into the arms of the Italian family who own it, every single time you go; the family-owned vibe is beautifully palpable. I have been many times, but made sure it was included in the places I went to on my fortieth birthday weekend - places which I selected especially, because they mean something special to me. That says it all really. Oh, by the way - my father and I are hooked on the scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toast. Whenever he comes to visit, we make sure we partake. I guarantee you won't have had better, even homemade (that comes from my father, who ran top hotels for forty years; and me, who shares his passion and extremely high standards for food and service!). PS If you're reading, Valentina, please bring back the seafood (wood) platter! Addendum: well, my father came to visit recently - and guess where we went. I had the Lobster Linguine for the first time - and oh my word, what an experience; it took my breath away when it arrived, and was equally notable upon scoffing. I can't remember which pasta dish my father had, but let me put it this way - he doesn't usually bother finishing dishes, but the plate was spotless when he was done! We're still talking about it, and planning our next foray...

I'd echo the sentiment of the few reviews I've read of this place. Personally I use it as a breakfast spot before hoping on East Putney tube. Loved the pancakes and also the panchetta and eggs are great. Couple either of these with a few crafty glasses of Italian bubbly and your day is set fair!

One of my locals and an absolute favourite, the quality of the food and wine is excellent, the deli is great and I often nip in to pick up bread and olives, it's a lot more expensive than supermarkets of course but you can really taste the difference.  Have eaten here over 20 times and the welcome is always warm and genuine with a real family feel.  My daughter loves it to and they always spoil her.

An impeccable experience from start to finish, from the moment I wandered around the comforting atmosphere of their excellently stocked deli (Italian delis get my juices flowing), to the informative and inspiring chats with Bruno Zoccola outlining his family and business history just before we left. The photos adorning the walls in the upstairs restaurant section are all pertinent to the Zoccola family history and not merely there as decor, for the record.

So, back down to the shop, deli and cafe section, which serves a fine range of coffees, on the ground floor. If you're looking for well-sourced, authentic goods then this is the place. They have De Cecco pastas, Cirio tomatoes and other prosaic basics as well as delicacies like fine honey, jams and the best pannetone that I've yet to sample, either here or in Italy. At £9.95 a pop, or two for £15, it's well worth a go. The meat section will sort you out good and properly with all your cured, cold meat and sausage and cheese needs. And if you have a penchant for Alessi kitchen items, there's a rack of them too.

Then we ambled upstairs, with me by this stage bursting with childlike excitement. The subsequent antipasti were, like everything else, flawless. I was genuinely spoilt for choice and plumped for something that no one else had ordered. (I'm selfless like that). But as soon as I clocked my Gnocchi Spacca Napoli, as something of a connoisseur now thanks to my lady wife, the quality was palpable. The roll of succulent roast beef, stuffed with parmesan and pinenuts, was a welcome bonus. Should you want to wash your lunch or dinner down with a bottle of wine from downstairs, the corkage is only £6.45 making it a nice and affordable option.

Believe it or not, it does take a fair bit to get me excited these days. However, when I am then I bore everyone to tears rabbiting on about places like this. The real conclusive proof though is that despite the location, a fair jaunt from my EC1 manor, I am already planning my return.

Five stars, without question.

Valentina, the best Italian delicatessen in south London for almost twenty years, has now opened a branch in Putney, and it's another star. The original deli added a cafe last year that serves delicious pasta, risottos and other Italian staples, but the Putney sibling is a more striking design and has a cafe area where Guipeppe and his team serve 'spuntini' - small dishes in the manner of tapas (but better and more substantial) - for £3-4 each and there is also a larger restaurant and bar upstairs. As in the Sheen cafe, there's free wi-fi.

The delicatessen is still the main event here, and it's superbly well stocked with wonderful breads, oils and pastas, but also offers cooked foods such lasagne and raviolis to take away. The spuntini menu contains delicious antipasto di mare and a frittatina - and omlette made with courgettes and onions finished with mozarella - and other delicacies.

Upstairs the bar and restaurant are decorated with photos of the owner, Bruno Zoccola's ancestors and those of his cousins, who also work in the business, a still-life with scooter and sidecar, and a flat-screen TV showing old black-and white Italian films. The selection of wines is spectacular, from the highly prized and highly priced Tuscans to more modest but still delicious chiantis and atelier wines. My favourite is the La Grola from Allegrini.

Altogether a perfect place to shop for food, relax with a plate of something or go with friends for a meal. If I'm not at home, you'll probably find me there.